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Closing statement of Jeddah Security and Development Summit

A regional summit in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah has brought together U.S. President Joe Biden, the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.

Below is the full text of the summit's closing statement:

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Jeddah summit urges Iran to abide by good neighborliness, keep region free of WMDs

The closing statement of the Jeddah summit has called for abiding by the rules of good neighborliness in the region, urging Iran to keep the region free of weapons of mass destruction.

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US 'will not walk away' from Middle East, Biden tells Arab leaders

U.S. President Joe Biden told Arab leaders on Saturday that Washington would remain fully engaged in the Middle East and would not cede influence to other world powers.

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Biden to talk oil at Arab summit concluding Middle East tour

U.S. President Joe Biden is set to discuss volatile oil prices during a summit with Arab leaders on Saturday in Saudi Arabia, the final stop of his Middle East tour.

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Israel strikes Gaza Strip after rocket fire

Israel hit the Gaza Strip before dawn on Saturday in what it said was a retaliatory strike for rocket fire from the Palestinian territory controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas.

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Biden, Bin Salman begin big meeting with fist bump

U.S. President Joe Biden met Friday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the man he once pledged to shun for human rights violations, and shared a cordial fist bump as he tried to reset an important diplomatic relationship, bolster Mideast security and increase the global flow of oil.

It was the first encounter for the two leaders, and their chummy gesture was swiftly criticized. But Biden insisted that he did not shy away from pressing the crown prince on the kingdom's abuses, particularly the 2018 murder of the U.S.-based writer Jamal Khashoggi, which U.S. intelligence believes was approved by the heir to the throne.

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Supporters of Iraq's Sadr in prayer rally amid political deadlock

Thousands of supporters of Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr gathered Friday for a Baghdad prayer service, in an attempt to influence stalled talks on forming a new government.

It was not clear if the influential cleric and politician would lead the sermon, or even if he intended to appear before supporters at the midday prayer, organized to take place on Al-Falah Avenue, in Sadr City. 

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Palestinian journalists wear 'Justice for Shireen' T-shirts as Biden visits West Bank

Palestinian journalists covering President Joe Biden’s visit to the occupied West Bank are wearing black T-shirts bearing the image of slain Palestinian-American correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh.

The popular Al-Jazeera correspondent was killed in May while covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank.

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In West Bank, Biden embraces 'two states for two peoples'

President Joe Biden acknowledged Friday that an independent state for Palestinians "can seem so far away" as he confronted hopelessness about the stagnant peace process during a visit to the West Bank.

"The Palestinian people are hurting now," he said. "You can just feel it. Your grief and frustration. In the United States, we can feel it."

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Do signs point to an Israel-Saudi normalization deal?

The United States has hinted that more Arab nations could take steps to improve ties with Israel, ahead of President Joe Biden's arrival in Saudi Arabia on Friday.

All eyes are on the kingdom, where Biden is to land despite a previous vow to treat the kingdom as a "pariah" over the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

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